Had trouble getting into blogger yesterday. Plus, I woke up sick (it had been coming on all day Thursday) and had to do my presentation whilst feeling like a pile of crap. Luckily, everyone (including the President of our division) said I was fabulous, and everyone else did a great job, too. Glad to have that over with. I think I have to go to Philly next Wednesday to do it again with revisions for the higher-level folks. Whee.

So today I am home sick. Sore throat. Haven't had one all winter, for a change, and now it caught up with me. I've been debating whether to see the doctor or not. I don't have a fever, so I think it is less likely to be strep and more likely a virus, which is just a wait it out situation, so I think I'll skip the doctor. Of course, if it gets worse over the weekend, rather than better, I will be bummed that I made this decision.

For the meantime, I'm staying home, making some soup (Ryan just bought me the stuff I need) and resting. I think I may even knit!

Our wedding invitations arrived yesterday and they are beautiful! I was really so pleased with the way they came out. I'd been worried about them, since we ordered online (I had seen a sample invitation without printing) and only had a fax proof. But everything is great, and I can in good conscience recommend Invitation Hotline to anyone who wants to order invitations (for anything, not just weddings) online.

Got most of the way through my taxes last night, and thanks to the job-hopping I did, I am getting a decent refund, which will be much appreciated. After talking to my best friend/tax advisor I just filled out a new W-4 and will be getting a few more bucks in my paycheck starting now, since the IRS considers you married for the whole year in the year in which you get married. Yay! I could certainly use the extra cash.

Tonight is gym night, and tomorrow is a big client presentation that I am a little nervous over. Not too anxious, but just enough to be paying attention. It's a semi-formal presentation, more of a work-in-progress than a full presentation, so it shouldn't be too bad.

In response to this repulsive news story I actually wrote the following letter to my congresswoman:

I'm writing in hopes that you will do something about the ridiculous waste of taxpayer time and money I just read about in the news. I am referring to the action by Rep. Ney of Ohio to replace the word "French" with "Freedom" on House menus, etc.

I am certain that a levelheaded Brooklynite such as yourself cannot possibly support such a pointless, arrogant and spiteful action as this, and I hope you can do something to dissuade your colleagues from pursuing it any further.

This action offends me deeply. It gives the appearance that while taxpayers are worrying about the economy, terrorism and the threat of war, our representatives are sitting around on Capitol Hill playing language police. Whether or not this is true, does Rep. Ney have any idea how stupid he looks to the majority of Americans?

Also, it has the ring of xenophobia and perpetuates the view of the U.S. as petty, isolationist, and self-serving. These are some of the very reasons we are so deeply hated in so many countries, even those who are our allies.

I implore you to put a stop to this pathetic waste of time and taxpayer money! Please share this opinion with your colleagues in the House, and help stem the tide of radical idiocy on Capitol Hill!

Thank you very much for your attention in this matter.


If you are as disgusted by this as I am, write to your congressperson! Make a stink! Go to www.house.gov to find out who your representative is, and how to contact them.

Hey, my pants are looser today! Maybe all this working out is paying off. We've been hitting the gym at least 4x/week and I've been working harder than I ever have. Last night I did 30 minutes of run/walk on the treadmill (walk 3 minutes, run 1) - I used to be too lazy to ever bother with the run part. And I'm switching cardio equipment most of the time, rather than just doing the same old thing every time I go. Plus way more weight-lifting, which I've been reading is particularly important in your 30s. It's only been a few weeks, but I really am starting to see results, one of which is that the pants that were really tight a few weeks ago are back into the "close-fitting but comfortable" zone. Yay me!

We were going to go buy wedding bands today at lunchtime, but now it's put off until next week when Ryan has class and thus more than one reason to come to Manhattan during the day. It's OK - I have plenty to do at work for Thursday's client meeting, so I could use the extra time. Also, our invitations should be delivered (to us) today! They were supposed to be here yesterday, but at 4:48 the UPS driver entered "receiver not in on 1st attempt" into the system. Of course, that was a lie. Ryan was home all day, and wasn't in the shower or anything at that hour, and the doorbell never rang. There was also no delivery slip. Lazy piece of !@#$ didn't even try to deliver the package. That pissed me off big-time. But if it arrives today, I'll get over it.